GUILTY TN - Sharon 'Sherry' Acosta, 32, pregnant, Knoxville, 1 July 2005

[fourboys]

Pregnant woman missing; police seek public's help

Last updated: 7/5/2005
Katie Allison Granju

A pregnant Knoxville woman is missing and police are investigating her disappearance.

Knoxville police say Sharon Jeanne Acosta's coworkers last saw her Friday night as the hairstylist was leaving the Chapman Highway salon where she is employed.

According to her co-workers, Acosta did not call to cancel her shift on Saturday, July 2, and she also failed to pick up her seven year-old son from her ex-husband on Saturday.

Acosta's vehicle did show up at her work place sometime after 7:00 p.m. on July 3, 2005.

Acosta is a white female, approximately 5' 5" tall, with brown eyes and black hair. She is 31 years old.

Acosta is six months pregnant and her family is very concerned for her safety.

Right now, police have no evidence of foul play, but are seeking the public's help in fidning the missing woman.

If you have seen Sharon Jeanne Acost or have any information, please call the Knoxville Police Department's Crime Info Hotline at (865) 215-7212.

http://www.wbir.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=27002

 

[fourboys]

Family, co-workers and police baffled by pregnant hair stylist's disappearance

By CATHARYN CAMPBELL
6 News Reporter
July 6, 2005

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A South Knoxville woman who is almost seven months pregnant has been missing for several days, but police say they can't find evidence of a crime.

Sharon Acosta, 32, left her job as a hair stylist at America's Cuts Hair Salon on Friday night and hasn't been seen since.

Family members got worried when she did not pick up her seven-year-old son, Austin, from her ex-husband on Saturday.

Police investigators say they don't have any evidence of foul play, but they haven't ruled that out as a possibility and they're interviewing several people.

Acosta left her glasses and all of her personal things at her workstation at the hair salon. Her co-workers say that's the last time they saw or heard from her.

Acosta left her son with his grandmother, Ruby Vaughn, and with only one change of clothes.

Acosta was scheduled to pick Austin the next day but she never showed up and still hasn't called.

"He is always asking where momma is and when momma is coming back," Vaughn said. "And I said, 'Well, honey, she's lost.' 'Well how did she get lost? She knows the way. Well I say, 'She made a wrong turn on a wrong road and she got lost.'"

Family and friends are very worried about her. They say she is seven-months pregnant with her boyfriend's baby.

Her disappearance is difficult for her co-workers at the salon. They are the last people to have seen her.

The co-workers say Acosta appeared to be happy when she left work Friday, but she never returned for her Saturday shift.

"We're all just heartbroken over it," said Debbie Whitmire. "Expecting to have a baby in a couple of months, thrilled over the baby. It's heartbreaking. People just don't vanish like that."

Police say her car was found in the parking lot in front of her salon on Sunday. They also say there doesn't seem to be anything disturbed from her apartment.

The people who know and love Acosta feel something is wrong. "She loves her son and she always kept tabs on him where ever he was," Vaughn said. "She always wanted to know where (Austin) was."

Acosta is 5' 5" and weighs about 180 pounds. She has brown eyes and black hair. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Knoxville Police Department.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=3563531

 

[fourboys]

Pregnant Knoxville woman missing

Teresa Woodard , Reporter
Last updated: 7/6/2005

Seven year old Austin only knows his mom is lost.

"I told him she took a wrong turn and we have to have help getting her out of the wrong street," says his grandmother, Ruby Vaughn, holding the little boy on her lap.

Vaughn is Sharon Acosta's former mother-in-law.

Acosta dropped her son off Friday with her ex-husband and his family, for a visit. She went to work Friday morning, spent the day at her job, cutting hair at America's Cuts on Chapman Highway, and left when the salon closed.

"We closed up and we left," says Acosta's manager Crystal McGinley. "I watched her walk to her car. Watched her leave the parking lot. She said, 'See you tomorrow.'"

But she still hasn't shown up. Acosta missed work Saturday morning and a meeting with Vaughn and Leckliter Saturday evening, when she was supposed to take Austin home.

"She would not under any circumstances leave this child. No. She loved him," Vaughn says.

According to Vaughn, Acosta left her son without a change of clothes or any extra medicine. That's why the ex-husband's family is sure she didn't plan to be away.

Acosta's car appeared in a parking space outside her work sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. But police have no idea who parked it there. Her purse was inside.

Knoxville police spokesman Darrell DeBusk says investigators have no evidence of foul play, but there's no evidence against it either. He says every hour that passes makes them believe something might have happened to her.

"We all just hope and pray for the best and we hope that she's OK," says MGinley.

"I told Austin we will find her," Vaughn says. "'I hope so,' he says."

http://www.wbir.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=27036

 

[lady-eowyn]

There was another case where a hairstylist went missing and was later found murdered but I can't for the life of me recall her name or where it was.

I hope she is OK...but when you have these facts it just doesn't look good.

 

[englishleigh]

Oh, no, this sounds awful.

 

[angarella]

I live here in Knoxville and just heard about this on the 6:00 news last night. I will try to keep up to date with local news and give you guys updates!

 

[kato]

There was another case where a hairstylist went missing and was later found murdered but I can't for the life of me recall her name or where it was.

I hope she is OK...but when you have these facts it just doesn't look good.

Oh shoot! It was in GA I think or maybe one of the Carolinas. I forgot her name. She had ling dark hair.

Also there was Cindy Lynch.

 

[angarella]

Oh shoot! It was in GA I think or maybe one of the Carolinas. I forgot her name. She had ling dark hair.

Also there was Cindy Lynch.

Wasnt the one with long dark hair named Patrice Endres (sp?) or something similar to that?

 

[lady-eowyn]

Wasnt the one with long dark hair named Patrice Endres (sp?) or something similar to that?

That might be it...after looking at Patrice Endres website I do remember reading that one and think she was the one who came to mind...but I seem to recall one where they found her murdered. However, I might be merging the Endres case with another I've read of so many over the years.

 

[kato]

Wasnt the one with long dark hair named Patrice Endres (sp?) or something similar to that?

Yes, that's the one I was thinking of. Thanks.

 

[fourboys]

Sevier man charged with murder in death of Sharon Jeanne Acosta

By News Sentinel staff
July 8, 2005

Authorities in Sevier County on Thursday found a body tentatively identified as a 32-year-old pregnant Knoxville woman who was last seen July 1 as she left work.
The body, which had been buried at a Sevier County construction site, has been sent to the forensics center at the University of Tennessee for positive identification, according to a release early today from Sevier County authorities.

Terry Edwin Justus, age unavailable, of Sevier County, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Sharon Jeanne Acosta. He is being held at the Sevier County Jail without bond pending a court appearance, according to Sevier County authorities.

On Tuesday, Knoxville Police Department investigators contacted the Sevier County Sheriff’s Department about Acosta’s disappearance, according to Sevier County authorities. The agencies have been working together on the case since then.

On Thursday, authorities secured a search warrant to search Justus’ home, according to Sevier County investigators.
Acosta, who was 6½ months pregnant, was reported missing July 4 by her brother. She was seen about 8 p.m. July 1 as she left her job as a hairstylist at a Chapman Highway business, according to the Knoxville Police Department.

Co-workers said Acosta, a usually reliable employee, failed to call Saturday to cancel her shift and did not show for work. Acosta had left her 7-year-old son with her ex-husband Friday and did not show Saturday to get him as previously agreed, police said.

Sometime after 7 p.m. Sunday, July 3, Acosta’s 2000 Nissan Sentra appeared outside the Chapman Highway hair styling business where she worked, authorities said.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_n...3912099,00.html

 

[lady-eowyn]

Oh no...my stomach goes in knots when I come in here to check for updates anymore....so much loss!!

 

[angarella]

God Bless this woman's family, especially her little boy. I have been searching, but cannot find any more information. I would assume that this man that has been arrested is the "boyfriend" or father of her unborn baby?

 

[tennessee]

I am so saddened to hear this. I saw the report of her missing on the news with her former MIL and her little boy. May her little boy find some comfort at this horrible time.

I told my husband during the broadcast that I bet it would be a case of domestic violence.

 

[tennessee]

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=3569910

"KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A joint investigation has led to the discovery of body believed to be a missing pregnant woman from Knoxville.

Sharon Jeanne Acosta, 32, disappeared last weekend.

Officers from the Knoxville Police Department and the Sevier County Sheriff's Department served a search warrant Thursday at the Sevier County home of Terry Edwin Justus, Acosta's boyfriend and the father of her unborn child."

Unfortunately, the suspect was her boyfriend and her babies father.

 

[Mygirlsadie]

Oh no...my stomach goes in knots when I come in here to check for updates anymore....so much loss!!

Lady-eowyn thats exactly how I feel too. I get a sick feeling and mouth falls open. Noooo no no no repeats over and over in my head and then I debate with myself if I should even come here anymore. I will of course because I like to be aware of the evil in the world and esp. because of the little ones. Now about this one.. I wonder what happened?? Her bf and babys father..how totally sad and now her poor little boy..

 

[Txmom]

I just shake my head over and over again--all I can think about is all the children that are left motherless because of the male person in her life. When will these men realize that its so much cheaper to pay the child support or just relinquish the parental rights than to spend the rest of your life in jail.

And once again its the innocent children that suffer.

 

[MistyGirl]

I too shake my head over these sad sad crimes. But I also shake my head thinking how sad it is that her case didn't get the media coverage or attention when she first went missing like let say the Laci Peterson case.

I see it everyday even with the missing children cases....only the "pretty" "well off" and from "good" families seem to get coverage. It just breaks my heart I wish all missing children/person cases got the media attention that that some seem to get.......maybe then some of them would be found before it is too late. I realize this would be hard to do with out a 24 hour 7 day a week TV show dedicated to cover these case.s......but is that such a bad idea???? I mean come on we have shows like the "Simple Life", "I want to be a Hilton", "The Average Joe"...............and please I watch some of the shows I just mentioned my point being maybe a 24 hour a days news station dedicated to just te Missing iwould be a good idea.

 

[dannyodie]

God Bless this woman's family, especially her little boy. I have been searching, but cannot find any more information. I would assume that this man that has been arrested is the "boyfriend" or father of her unborn baby?

posted by tennessee. she has been located deceased, the boyfriend is in jail.

 

[spygirl]

May this b*stard rot in HELL!!! :furious:

How do you explain something like this to a seven year old??

Does Tennessee have the DP?